


Escape

by Anonymous



Category: The Outsiders - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Body Image, Eating Disorders, Established Relationship, Food Issues, Hurt/Comfort, Insecurity, M/M, Mental Health Issues, description of bodies, he's also short but it doesnt come up, if you dont like the ship it's not super romance heavy, its 5am rn, not diagnosed but its disordered eating, sorta - Freeform, steve makes a dumb comment and two-bit takes it personally, this is a vent fic honestly, this is also largely unedited lol, two-bit is stocky in canon you can fight me on it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:08:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25971118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: One comment is enough to start the spiral.
Relationships: Darrel Curtis/Two-Bit Mathews
Comments: 2
Kudos: 31
Collections: Anonymous





	Escape

**Author's Note:**

> read the tags before proceeding, please.
> 
> i would like to specify that relationships, even happy ones, do not cure mental health issues and this fic should not be taken as a suggestion that they do. this is one perspective of one small incident involving body image and disordered eating as well as other insecurities. 
> 
> stay safe.

"Ease up, Two-Bit, it ain't gonna run outta your hands."

Two-Bit freezes with the burger halfway to his mouth, and he's very suddenly hyperaware of the ketchup dripping onto his fingers from where he'd hastily squirted it on. There's a program on TV he wants to watch this afternoon, but he didn't account for how long it would take for Steve to go on his lunch break. It was just a favor, dropping off a bagged fast food lunch to the DX station, but he figured it would be nice to keep him company while he ate it. That's what buddies are for, after all.

But Steve didn't mention that his break wasn't for another half hour, so by the time Two-Bit flipped through all the magazines and messed up a few displays out of sheer boredom, the clock was inching too close for comfort to the time his program started. But it was too late to leave now so he might as well sit down and have his food first. 

But now Steve is sneering at him, watching him as he chews the too-many fries he'd stuffed in his mouth and prepares to bite into the burger piled with condiments and cheese. He'd just wanted to eat quickly, is all, so he could make it home in time to get to the TV before his sister did. It seemed reasonable before but now the half-mashed potato on his tongue tastes like solid grease and burning salt against his tastebuds, and the burger is dripping onto the picnic table, red ketchup like blood spatter from a freshly killed piece of meat between two soggy buns. His stomach churns and he swallows down the fries even though it stuffs his throat too dense to breathe through as it goes down.

"Better watch yours, in case it gets a look at that ugly mug," Two-Bit croaks out, but barely half of his usual gusto accents the retort because his voice sounds too thick and it feels like he's choking. It's just a burger, just a joke between buddies and that's what buddies are for, for joking with, so it doesn't make sense why he can't stand the thought of taking another bite. He stands up and Steve's eyes burn right through his body, dark piercing glass judging every movement he makes. "I gotta head home," he mumbles, even though they just sat down.

"You forgot your lunch, dumbass!" Steve hollers after him, but his legs are carrying him away too fast so he pretends he didn't hear a thing. He doesn't want the lunch anyways, it wasn't worth the money he spent on it or the ache that's settled in his stomach like an anchor in a sandpit. The steering wheel digs into the softness of his belly once he's in the front seat of his Plymouth, and of course he's noticed that before but suddenly it's so damn  _ uncomfortable _ . The whole ride home, it's all he can think about, how he wishes the steering wheel didn't shove against the softest flesh of his body like it's pushing him further away every time he has to lean forward to see through the glass. He doesn't even notice that he's missed the turn to his own house, and by the time he does, it's too late to turn around so he might as well keep going, until he finds himself parked in the Curtises' driveway.

He's not even sure if Darry is home, and since it's the middle of the day, the odds aren't in his favor. But he is suddenly sure that all he wants right now is to see his boyfriend. Even if he can't explain the atrocity of what he's feeling, or understand why one stupid comment sent him pitching forward over the edge, he  _ knows _ he wants to be at Darry's side. He's hanging on by a shred of hope as he walks up the porch steps and lets himself inside the house, hoping to see the man in his armchair reading the paper like nothing had changed in the time between now and his attempt at lunch, like his slip-up hadn't cost him everything good in his life after Steve pointed out how stupid he looked and how unappetizing it was to eat in the same space as him. 

His heart sinks when he steps into the living room and finds it dead silent and empty, without even the television blaring to create some background noise. He shuts the door behind him anyways, but his shoulders are slumped and he can feel his barely-there spirits diminishing as quick as they'd arrived. He figures the second-best option is to wait on the sofa for Darry to get home, but who knows when that would happen, and his reason for coming in the first place was so he wouldn't have to be alone. But before he can make a decision, a door creaks open down the hall and then his boyfriend is standing there with freshly showered hair and boxer shorts that show off the toned muscles of his abdomen.

"Two-Bit?" Darry scrubs at his hair with a towel, a quizzical expression on his face. "What's goin' on?"

When Two-Bit was getting out of his car, he'd been picturing himself just walking right into Darry's arms the moment he opened the door, kissing him hello and forgetting the sourness curdling in his gut. But now he can't move his feet and he can't tear his eyes away from how perfectly sculpted Darry looks with nothing but a cotton garment to cover his modesty. His stomach doesn't have an inch of visible fat and his collarbones are visible across the room and his thighs could crush a melon between them. He's absolutely fucking perfect in every way that Two-Bit can't even dream of achieving. 

"Babe?" Darry interrupts his train of thought, and suddenly he's closing the distance between them. He places a hand on Two-Bit's cheek, tilting his face up, even though he's probably repulsed by the chipmunk-like softness under his fingers. But then Darry's grabbing his shoulders and pulling him in for a hug and the only thing at the forefront of Two-Bit's mind is how perfectly they slot together, like they were meant to fit into each other's arms.

"Something wrong?" Darry's voice rings out above him, and he can't see because he's got his eyes hidden in the warm bare chest he hadn't been able to look away from, but he can detect the soft notes of concern in the words. 

Slowly, Two-Bit shakes his head, not really a lie as much as a secret. At least, that's what he tells himself as he mutters, "Nothin'," and wraps his arms around Darry's waist. But all too soon, the moment is ruined by the sound of his own stomach growling, loud enough to snap them both out of the ample soft feelings attaching them to each other. Dread fills his brain as Darry pulls away, surely to tell him how inappropriate his hunger is, with a body like that there's no way he needs to eat so soon after he's had breakfast even though it's been several hours since then. It would be an inconvenience anyways. Two-Bit shuts his eyes tightly, not wanting to see his boyfriend's face when the anchor sinks in his stomach again.

"You wanna go grab lunch?" Darry's hand moves back up to his face, effectively soothing away the anxiety that he hadn't realized was blooming in his chest right over his heart. Two-Bit's eyes flash open and he's silent for just a few extra moments, not really enough to be considered unusual, and then he nods his head.

"Anything but burgers," he exhales, relieved when Darry nods his head in agreement. A kiss is planted on his forehead and then he's alone again so his boyfriend can get properly dressed, but the pit in his gut is no longer a whirlpool as much as a pothole, barely noticeable unless he thinks about it. He waits patiently but even the hunger no longer feels as insatiable as it did just minutes ago, and when they're finally walking out the front door, their hands link together perfectly. 

**Author's Note:**

> be kind xx
> 
> kudos are lovely


End file.
